For many years, thermoplastic bags have been widely used for a number of household and industrial purposes. Many have a simple rectangular structure comprising two layers of thermoplastic film, heat sealed sides, a folded bottom and an open top. This simple structure has been adapted to form a wide variety of sizes and configurations that vary with the intended uses of the bags.
In recent years, bag manufacturers have developed new ways of packaging bags. One method of packaging bags involves winding perforated, interconnected bags into a roll. The consumer then unrolls a bag, tears it off of the roll and opens it. Another method of packaging bags involves the packaging of separate, individually folded bags into a stack. The consumer then selects a bag, unfolds it and opens it. Advances in the thermoplastic bag art have produced very thin, yet strong, bags. Furthermore, advances in perforation technology have produced interconnected bags that can be cleanly separated from a roll of bags.
However, these advances do have disadvantages. The thin layers and clean edges make it difficult to distinguish the top of the bag from the bottom, or even the sides, of the bag. This often frustrates consumers who must struggle to find the top of the bag to open it. Once the top is found, the thin layers also make it difficult to open the bags.
Consequently, these deficiencies have created a need for bags with tops that are easily identified and easily opened.